


A Witch's Legacy (Is a Powerful Thing)

by sadpendragon



Series: Hidden High Priestess stories [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Origin Story, Alternative Perspective, Canonical Character Death, Could Be Canon, Gen, Missing Scene, Origin Story, Villains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23680321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadpendragon/pseuds/sadpendragon
Summary: The man was looking at her, but Nimueh’s attention laid elsewhere. The child had stopped crying and blue eyes locked with hers. With a lump in her throat, she looked away from eyes who matched her own a little too well.“Her name is Kara.” With these final words Nimueh turned away, vowing to herself never to come back again.
Relationships: Kara & Morgause (Merlin), Morgause & Mordred (Merlin), Nimueh & Kara (Merlin), Nimueh & Morgause (Merlin)
Series: Hidden High Priestess stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716625
Comments: 14
Kudos: 14
Collections: Merlin Rarepair Hub





	A Witch's Legacy (Is a Powerful Thing)

It’s weird how all your life you could believe you didn’t want something, until it was placed in your possession and you’re suddenly not able to let it go.

“Priestess?” the man in front of Nimueh had his arms stretched out to her, ready to take the bundle in her arms.

Nimueh blinked and looked up at him. His stare was gentle, almost pitying, and Nimueh didn’t like that. Trying to shake away the unwanted envy that had grown in her, she placed the warm bundle in the waiting arms of the druid man. As soon as the transfer was made, the baby, warmly wrapped in cloth, started to cry. Nimueh almost took a step forward before reminding herself. The druid man smiled and hushed the baby.

“There there, it’s alright. Aren’t you lovely? What’s her name?”

The man was looking at her, but Nimueh’s attention laid elsewhere. The child had stopped crying and blue eyes locked with hers. With a lump in her throat, she looked away from eyes who matched her own a little too well.

“Her name is Kara.” With these final words Nimueh turned away, vowing to herself never to come back again.

Great stories had a role even for ordinary people; may it be a servant meant to die for their master or a sorcerer destined for greatness. Right after giving birth she had immediately realised it: the child’s magic was weak. Of course almost anyone could learn magic, and the druids would make sure to teach her about the Old Religion. But Nimueh was a High Priestess, she had bigger fish to fry. There was no time to be spared raising a child who did not have the potential to be a priestess.

At that very moment, her elder, the only other priestess left, was giving away her last breath teaching a young woman who had potential, _power_. The young Morgause would come to be under Nimueh’s tutelage, and together their hatred for Camelot would only grow more strong. Years later after Nimueh’s first attempt of revenge, she would relay her mistakes to Morgause so the woman could do better. It was a pity that when she found out the truth about the young boy Merlin, she was not able to share it with the woman. And as Nimueh burned at the hand of the young sorcerer, she only had one thought, one manifestation. Morgause already had her blessing and they already shared the same hatred for Camelot and Uther. This was for someone else. As she’d said before, everyone had their part to play. Death was not the end for her plans. Camelot will fall. _Avenge me, daughter._

_***_

“Is that him,” Morgause wondered out loud.

The boy had very dark hair, the only indication to him being her son were in the eyes—they looked exactly like her lover’s... There was also the magic. Morgause closed her eyes and inhaled the air around her, it was vibrating with power and...rage. Beautiful sweet pure, _rage_. She smiled, her little Mordred was sure to play a part in their story.

When Nimueh had found out about Morgause’s pregnancy, she’d been livid and had immediately made preparations to give the child away. _There’s no place for a child in the future of a High Priestess,_ she’d screamed. The woman had talked from experience... Morgause herself had never envisioned herself as a mother; not for the fact that she was a priestess, but for the fact that she found men barely appealing. But as it so happened, she had fallen for a woman with the body of a man. Morgause didn’t know if she could speak of love, but she did know she had cried all night when news of her lover’s death had reached her. Morgause didn’t regret their time together, and she didn’t regret their child. Today she had decided to take a little glimpse at him, Nimueh was not here anymore and Morgause wanted to see him - he was the only thing she had left of her love. Talking to him was unwise, Morgause was preparing a vengeance and it was no place for a child. _Not yet_. For now, she would be satisfied with the knowledge that there was something Mordred took after her. Living so close to the Camelot borders, that rage she’d sensed in him would surely thicken. Morgause smiled and turned to leave.

“Is it true,” a pair of blue eyes belonging to a young girl were staring up at her. “Were you trained by the High Priestess Nimueh?”

“Who are you?”

“Kara.”

Morgause was getting a flash of déjà vu looking at the girl’s eyes. _Kara_ , a servant girl in disguise, but also: _a family name_. Morgause placed her hand under the girl’s chin and tried getting a feel on her magic. As expected, it was pretty weak, but there was something else there, something fierce. The girl would never be a great witch like her mother or herself, but…kingdoms fell with armies. Behind the girl’s eyes laid an immovable force, she had the look of a warrior.

“Come,” Morgause begged her forward, “Let me tell you about your mother.”

Morgause had seen the burning remains of her teacher, she had felt the exchange of life that had taken place. Only the most powerful among them could accomplish that. So it seemed there was power at the heart of Camelot; Morgause did not know whom, but she passed that knowledge down to Kara and rejoiced in the bulging hatred behind the young girl’s eyes. Such potential...

That is why as Morgause died on the cold stone of the altar, she first gave her blessing to her dear sister, _you are our future._ Then she spared a thought for a warrior, hoping that that soldier would find their way back to their army. Every piece on the board could be used. With her last breath, Morgause sent out her blessings. Death was not the end, Camelot will fall.

***

Kara only knew one thing certain about the man who had killed her mother. He was powerful and he was working for Camelot. Therefore, she was going to destroy it. Joining Morgana had not even been a question, she had felt drawn to her. Druids were pacifist, when she’d been old enough she had quickly left their restrictive embrace. She and Morgana had a common goal, Kara believed in her cause, she wanted Camelot to suffer for their sins against magic. But there was something else moving her, something planted inside of her a long time ago and only strengthened by her meeting with Morgause.

Something that today made the little bit of magic she had inside of her want to leap out when Mordred told her of his friendship with the King of Camelot. Kara grit her teeth and reigned it in. Their heads touched and Kara thought, _he is my ticket inside of Camelot._ It felt a bit wrong to use him, they had been friends and it felt good to see him again. But greater things were happening, a childish bond meant nothing compared to Kara’s mission.

So when the noose was put around Kara’s neck, she didn’t waver or cry, she kept a thought for Mordred. The man had always been emotional as a child, and she had seen his potential for rage. Kara almost smiled, but held a straight face for her audience; she knew with certainty that Mordred would avenge her. Kara’s mission had worked: she had infiltrated Camelot and planted seeds of doom. Death was not the end, Camelot _will_ fall.

**Author's Note:**

> Brought to you by my headcanon of "Hey what if Nimueh used Kara as a cover name bc that's what she called her child" also Mordred being Morgause's child should have totally been canon, such an easy Arthurian trope to add!
> 
> This was a totally different vibe from anything I've written before, might be a bit off, but I really enjoyed writing it :>
> 
> Thank you [Neb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebula5030) for the beta read!


End file.
